During my school days, I clearly remember the day when students were required to see the dentist. It was the most frightening moment that the students need to go through.
I went to a government school. The dentist were a government assigned dentist that will come to the school for a whole week. This will occur every 3 or 4 months. Students from each classes will be given a schedule of the day that they need to see the dentist.
There were times when I faking to be ill, for the sake of not meeting the dentist. But most of the times, my mother and my late father able to tell that I was faking it. After the dentist appointment, I will surely brags to the other students that haven't meet the dentist.
Fast forward to 30 years later. I now have two daughters. Recently, my youngest daughter told me that she felt pain at her lower gum area. She's having a constant pain until she can't sleep and eat.
I and my wife decided to bring her to the dental clinic that is located nearby my housing area. At first, we went to the usual clinic. Unfortunately, the doctor was not in for the whole day due to family emergency.
We then looked for other dental clinic, and found one which is only a few meters away. Upon entering the dental clinic, my wife went to the front counter and provided my youngest daughter details for registration purpose.
There was another patient that is currently in surgery room. However, the waiting time was not long. We only waited for 15 minutes before my daughter were ask to enter the doctor room. Before she went in, she asked me to accompany her.
The nurse asked my daughter to sit on the dental engine. I can see how terrified my daughter at this point of time. I hold her hand and told her that I will be by her side at all time. She nodded and proceed to sit on the dental engine.
A dental engine is a large chair-side appliance for use in a dentist's office: Wikipedia Source Link
The doctor then came in, and sit at a chair that is part of the dental engine. She asked me about the pain that my daughter felt. I explain briefly to the doctor.
She then took a dental probe and a mouth mirror. After few minutes of examination, she told me her finding. There were a total of four pit and fissure cavities that need to be patch using dental filling.
I told the doctor to fill the teeth that require utmost attention. She agree and proceed to fill teeth number 29 and 30. Other teeth were not that critical.
My daughter started to cry. But the nurse and doctor was really good with kids, they manage to make my daughter to stop crying and listen to every instruction given to her.
The procedure took a total of 20 minutes. Before we went out of the surgery room, the doctor told me not to feed my daughter at least for one hour. The filling is still soft and might fall out.
I was charged 50USD for both consultation and tooth filling procedure. I'm a bit surprised because it is much cheaper compared to the usual dental clinic.
Moving forward, I might be going and bringing my families to this dental clinic.
